Mishkan Blog
Of Gold and God
This sermon was delivered at our service on February 21st, 2026. You can listen to this drash on Contact Chai Podcast (are you subscribed?) or watch it on our YouTube channel. **** A lot of holidays converged last week: Lent, Ramadan, Lunar New Year, Rosh Hodesh....
The Right Wing’s Next Attack On Reproductive Rights
At our service on February 13th, 2026, we heard from Builder Sarah Garza Resnick, the President and CEO of Personal PAC. You can listen to this message on Contact Chai Podcast of watch it on our YouTube channel. **** “Even when the truth isn’t hopeful, the telling of...
To See Sacred Potential
This sermon as delivered at our service on Saturday, February 7th, 2026. You can listen this drash on Contact Chai podcast or watch it on our YouTube channel. **** Every Chicagoan has their least favorite month. I was chatting with some friends about it. Someone said...
Refusing To Harden Our Hearts To Pain
This sermon was delivered at our service on January 23rd, 2026. You can listen to this drash on Contact Chai Podcast or watch it on our YouTube channel. **** When you land at the airport in Tel Aviv, there is a long descending ramp that connects the concourse to the...
Shattered Vessels: The Reiner Tragedy and the Myth of the “Nice Jewish Family”
This piece by Builder Tim “Amichai” Graves, MBA, CPRC was first written on December 17th, 2025 in response to the killing of Rob and Michele Reiner. Tim is the leader of Ometz: For Jews in Recovery, a Maggie's Place support group for Jews seeking a self-directed path...
King, Heschel, and You
This sermon was delivered at our service on January 17th, 2026 over MLK Day Weekend. You can listen to this drash on Contact Chai Podcast (are you subscribed?) or watch it on our YouTube channel. **** It feels to me like the organizations I care about have extended...
You Want To Be A Stranger In Egypt
This sermon was delivered at our service on January 9th, 2026. You can listen to this drash on Contact Chai podcast or watch it on YouTube. **** Thirty-six times in the Torah, we read the words, “For you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” It’s considered unusual...
A Hanukkah Stor(ies)
This sermon was delivered at our service on December 12th, 2025. You can listen to this drash on Contact Chai Podcast or watch it on our YouTube channel. **** I want to talk about the Hanukkah story. Well, I want to talk about what happens afterward – but first, it's...
Wrestling With God: Judaism’s Essential Gesture
This sermon was delivered at our service on December 6th, 2025. You can listen to this drash on Contact Chai podcast or watch it on our YouTube channel. **** This week’s Torah portion had me thinking about Orange is the New Black (b’mitzvah kids, this was a show on...
Maintaining Humanity in Times of Crisis
This sermon was delivered at our service on November 21st, 2025. You can listen to this drash on Contact Chai Podcast or watch it on our YouTube channel. **** I’m so glad to be back here. I’ve got to say, if ten years ago you had told me that I would be genuinely...
All You Need Is Love
This sermon was delivered at our service on November 15th, 2025. You can listen to this drash on Contact Chai Podcast or watch it on our YouTube channel. **** On our second date, my now-husband Henry and I stood in line at Jimmy Johns and bonded over our shared...
Changing The World Ten Righteous People At A Time
This sermon was delivered at our service on November 7th, 2025. You can listen to this drash on Contact Chai podcast or watch it on our YouTube channel. **** I have this memory. My family and I are waiting at the airport for a flight overseas. I think we were...